Fastening-loading mechanism



April 11, 1944. NcAsT g 2,346,262

FASTENING-LOADING MECHANISM Filed May 4, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l I TigII- ZZ 'u'mmvvwkwmu'w- April 1944 J. T. LANCASTER v 2,346,262

FASTENING-LOADING MECHANISM Filed May 4; 1942 E'Sheqs-Sheet 2 April 11, 1944.

J. T. LANCASTER FASTENING-LOADING MECHANISM Filed M 4, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 TRHNSPA RE NT Patented Apr. 11, 1944 FASTENING-LOADING MECHANISM John T. Lancaster, Newton, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 4, 1942, Serial No. 441,645

24 Claims. (C1. 1-32) This invention relates to mechanisms by which such fastenings as nails are delivered tomeans by which they are to be utilized. An example of a-mechanism of this character is furnished in heel-attaching machines, bythe means which receives nails supplied by a distributor and delivers them in loads to the inserting mechanism of the machine. In some machines, the fastenings come from the distributor with their points directed oppositely to that of insertion, so that during their advance theymust be inverted. An object of this invention is to thus arrange the fastenings during their progress through the loading mechanism by 'a' simple organization, positive in its operation and reliable as to the delivery of the fastenings in the desired relation.

To accomplish the above object, I associate with fastening-supplying means,'which may be the tubes leading from a distributor, a terminal device, commonly known as a foot-plate, having a portion rotatable or otherwise movable to invert the fastenings and deliver them to a loaderblock or device which transfers them to the position at which theyare to be used. The'loading device is provided with fastening-holding passages arranged inaccordance with a particular fastening-insertingIdsign, and the movable portion of the terminal device has fastening-holding depressions with/which the passages of the loading device register in their receiving position. This allows direct communication between the inverting means and the loading means, without the necessity for interposed fastening-stops or gates and witha general simplification of the supplying organization. The foot-plate preferably has a casing provided with an upper set of openings through which the tubes supply the fastenings, and a lower set through which. the inverted fastenings pass into the loader-block. In

the casing is rotatable a cylinder having pockets, which may register with either set of, openings. Thus the cylinder, in-turning as through lso", will deliver the fastenings to the loader block moving in a plane immediately below and into which the inverted fastenings at once descend. It will be seen that the inversion is not dependent upon the force of impact often employed, and'is effected by a stationary device, as far as movement of translation is concerned. There can consequently be no doubt as to the sufficiency of the inverting force, and the actuating means for the inverting member isrelievedof complication. To ensure accuracy in locating the inverting .mem her, it is retained temporarily by a latch in both its receiving and delivering positions. After the inverting member has received a load of fastenings, the latch is disengaged; the member moved to its delivering position; and the latch released to there secure the member. Thereafter, the inverting member is moved oppositely, with corresponding movements of the latch, for the restoration of said member to its initial position. I have herein shown the movements for fastening-delivery as effected by a member actuated by the operator, and the restoring movement as under the influence of the fastening-transferring or -loading means. The actuation of the latch and inverting member may be through two 00- operating levers and gearing, which establish the correct time-relation. The casing of the inverting device is mounted upon the supporting frame of the machine and its cylinder connected to the shaft through which it is rotated,,by interengaging portions which permit convenient separation of the assembly by movement together in one direction, the form of the cylinder: and shaft-portions being such that they are engageable only when the cylinder is in its fastening-receiving position. Thus is ensured the'correct assembly of the elements when the inserting design is changed. To enable the operator readily to determine whether a fastening or fastenings have been missed from a load supplied to the loading mechanism, the inverting cylinder and-its enclos ing casing are made of transparent material.

A particular embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of my improved loading mechanism;

Fig. 2, a broken side elevation thereof, taken from the right of the heeling machine, in connection with which it is disclosed;-

.Fig. 3, a rear elevation of the loading mechanism and including the clutch mechanism of the heeler; and

Fig. 4, a separated perspective view of the footplate and its more closely associated actuating elements.

The general organization of the heel-attaching machine and the distributor by which it is supplied with nails may be that of. Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,947,770, MacKenzie, February 20, 1934. Ofthis,there,is herein illustrated only .the loader-block l0; carried upon the forward extremity of its slide 12 guided for horizontal reciprocation fore. and aft. of the machine upon a bracket l4 secured to the 'frame l6. Movement of the loader-slide is produced by a spur-gear l8 meshing with a rack 19 upon the underside of the slide, the gear being fast upon a in the loader-block-passages upon a shutter 26,"

movable at the underside of the loader-block upon its frame. This shutter is Iatc'hed'in the loader-block at the foottplate, and is opened by a spring 28 upon engagement with the jack for the delivery of the nails thereto; To initiate the nail-inserting operation of the machine, a link 30 (Fig. 3) is raised by the operator, as through connection to a treadle, causing a stop-lever 32 to release the driven portion of a clutch C, the driving portion of which is constantly rotated by the main shaft 34. During" this rotation of the driven portion of the Clutch, 9. cam-projection 35 upon it not only acts upon the link 30 to free the stoplever therefrom, so it will end the nail-inserting cycle after a single rotation, but also oscillates a bell-crank-lever 38. This raises a rod 40 to preparethe distributor for the delivery of a load of nails through the tubes 24 for use during the succeeding operation of the machine.

The elements more particularly belonging to the present invention will now bed es'cribed. The foot-plate F includes a casing 50, mounted for ready removal from the machineframe by a T-projection'SZ fitting Within complemental vertical ways- 54 in the bracket [4. The body of the casing has a cylindrical bore B and a rearwardly extending boss 58, through which is a reduced bore 60 (Fig. 4). From openings 6! through the upper wan of the casingv rise nipples 62, to which the nail-tubes 24 from the distributor are joined, while through the plane underside of the casing are discharge-openings 64. The two sets of .openings, each shown asfive in number, are vertically alined and are arranged in accordance with a particular nailing design, which istobe employed for the work in hand. Rotata-blewithin the easing is a nail-inverting and delivering cylinder 68,

an axial-spindle 68 of which turns inthe bore through the boss 58; pockets or depressions 18 of sufficient depth to contain the longest nail to be delivered to the inserting mechanism of the mac'hine. and arranged to register with eitherjtherecjeiving open-- ings 61 or the dischargeaopenin'gs 54 by rotation of the cylinder through 180.- Both the casing and cylinder are preferably formed from somedurable transparent plastic. This enables the operator to inspect at any time the foot-plate device, and thereby determine, without manipu lation, whether it contains a full load of nails;

Secured to the spindle B8 of the foot-platecylinder is a collar 12, upon the outer end of which is a transverse rib 14 tapering in the direc-' tion of itslength across the collar. The rib is received in a complemental' slot 16 in the face of acollar 18, fixed upon the endof a shaft 89 J'our na-led in the bracket M. This collar 78, and therefore: the cylinder, may be: temporarily retained in either of two opposite positions by a latch 82, pivoted upon the bracketand forced by a-leaf-spring 84 into one or the'other of diametri-g normally closed relation for the reception of nails in In the cylinder is a set-ofv '(Fig. 1), they are staggered to lie in different positions longitudinally of the axis. See also the corresponding positions of the nipples 62 in Fig. 4. This avoids the interference which would be caused through the crossing of one of the openings 64 by a pocket which is to deliver to another opening. The usual beveled mouths of the loader-block-p'assages 24 allow themto receive the nails without exact registration with the casing-openings. Mechanism by which the nailcylinder 66 is released from the latch 32 and turned in the casing 50 between its opposite positions will now be described.

J ournaled in the bracket I4 parallel to the shaft 80 is a shaft St], to the forward extremity of which is fixed the divided or yoked portion 9| of alever 92 (Fig. 1). An arm 94 of this lever has formed upon its segmental end 96 a cam, movable in engagement with a roll 98 rotatable upon the tail of the latch 82. The cam-surface has depressions a and b upon opposite sides of a raised arcuate portion 0 (Figs. 3 and/i). When the depression a is opposite the roll 98, the latch may enter one of the depressions 86' to secure the cylinder 65 withits pockets in registration with the nipples 62. When the depression b is in co-op'er'ation' with the roll, the latch fixes the cylinder with thepockets opposite the discharge-openings 64. The action of the portion 0' upon the roll removes the latch from the depressions, freeing the cylinder for rotation. The initial movement of the lever 92, which prepares for the rotation of the cylinder, is caused by the ccn'ta'ct of a collar l02 secured to the rod. 40 with a lever=arni 1-00 of the lever 92 projecting oppositely to the arm 94'. Thisoc'curs' when the operator starts the heeling machine in action by elevation of the link 30, to trip" the clutch C and machine its next load of nails.

Arranged to turn about the shaft is a lev'er I04, having upon its hfiib projections I06 and H18. Between these projections lieS' the connect to arrangethe distributor for supplying to the .ing portion of the yoke 91 of lever 9'2, with some clearance between said yoke and the projections.

Upon the end of the lever I64 i a gear-segment the-- care 96 may cause the uhlatching of the Secured to the shaft 90 is a gear-segment H14 meshing with a raciebar' H6,- g'uided for horizontal movement at tnerear of the bracket l4. Upon the inner endof the bar isa roll H8 r0- tat'able about a vertical axis. The'roll lies opposite a depression- I 20 in a side wall I22 of the loader sli'de l2 (Fig; 1'),-when the loader-block" l-O is beneath the feet-plate F in it'snail-receiving depressions 86 of the collar "I8.

relation. During the reciprocation of the loaderslide, its side travels along the roll. From the depression I20 an inclined cam-wall I24 upon the loader-slide leads gradually to the outer wall I22. Consequently, when the slide travels forward .to make its delivery, the Wall I24, actin through the roll and rack-bar, will turn the shaft 90. This causes the yoke 9| by engagement with the projection I08, to return the cylinder 65 to its initial position.

Assuming that in putting into use the heeling, machine with which this invention is associated, the nailing design is to be changed, the operator detaches the nail-supplying tubes 24 from the nipples B2 and lifts the supporting projection 52 of the casing 50 from th ways 54 in the frame-bracket. When the pockets 10 in the inverting cylinder 66 are in registration with the nipples, as is the case at the termination of the nail-delivering cycle, the projection 14 of the cylinder and the slot 16 of the collar I0, which by their engagement allow the rotation of the cylinder, extend vertically with their wider ends upward. Therefore, the casing and cylinder may be removed without other manipulation. A footplate-assembly, with its casing and cylinder having their pockets and openings arranged in accordance with the desired design, is applied to the bracket, entrance of the projection M of the substituted foot-plate into the upwardly diverging slot 16 ensuring that the cylinder-pockets will be in registration with the casing-nipples. Upon inserting the tubes 24 into the nipples, the footplate will be ready for operation.

At the beginning of an operating cycle, the loader-block I0 contains in its passages 22 nails N, which were delivered to it during the previous cycle. The operator actuates a member controlling the rotation of the shaft 20, causing the loader-slide I2 with its block I0 to advance, make the nail-delivery to the jack of the heeler and return to it initial position. At this time, the roll IE8 lies opposite and outside the depression I in the loader-slide I2. The operator then jacks a shoe, applies a heel to its heel-seat and raises the link 30. This causes the engagement of the clutch C, through which the main,

power-shaft 34 is driven. As the nail-inserting operation approaches completion, the cam-projection 36 upon the driven portion of the clutch actuates the bell-crank-lever 38. This elevates the rod 30, to make possible the supply of a load of nails by the distributor only after those which have been delivered to the jack have been.

driven into the work, avoiding the danger of a double load. In this movement of the rod, produced by the operator, the arm I00 of the lever 92 is turned clockwise (Fig. 3). The roll 98 has been resting in the depression a of the cam 96, this allowing the latch 82 to enter one of the The engagement of the latch with this depression locks the foot-plate-cylinder 6B in its nail-receiving position, with the pockets I0 alined with the nipples 62. As the arm I00 turns, the portion 0 or the cam forces the latch out of the depression, so the cylinder may be rotated, this occurring when the yoke-portion 9| of the lever 92 arrives at the projection I06 of the lever I04. The rotation of the cylinder is thereupon produced through the gearing H0, I I2 and turns said cylinder through 180, so its Pockets containing a load of nails, heads up as they arrived from the distributor through the supply-tubes 24 and delivered when the operator caused the reciprocation of the loader-block, are brought into alinement with the casing-openings 64. The nails have thus been inverted, so upon receipt by the loader-block-passages 22 from the openings 64 they rest upon their heads on the shutter 26, correctly positioned for their discharge into the jack of the heeler. Since the delivery to the loader-block is dependent upon the production of the nail-inserting operation, it is made certain that the nails have been driven from the jack. This furnishes a second guard against a double load. From the jack, the nails are to be driven upwardly through the heel-seat of the shoe into the applied heel for its attachment.

-. The depression b in the cam 96 is at this time opposite the roll 98, so the foot-plate-cylinder the second depression 86 during the delivery of nail to the loader-block. While the lever I04 is thus acting to effect nail-delivery, the seg-' ment I I4, which turns with it, is drawing in the rack-bar H6. The roll IIB upon the rock-bar enters the registering depression I20 in the loader-slide i2. When the loader-block I0 transfers its next load of nails to the jack, the camsurface I 24, extending outwardly from the depression I20 to the surface of the slide, will force out the rack-bar H6 and through the segment I I 4 turn the lever 92 to its initial position. This, by the action of thecam-projection 0 upon the roll 98, first frees the inverting cylinder 66 from the latch 02, and then, by engagement of the yoke 9| with the projection I08 upon the lever I04, through the segment H0 and pinion H2,

restores the cylinder to its nail-receiving position. Here it is again latched, as the roll enters the cam-depression a.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a vice having a set of fastening-holding passages arranged in accordance with a particular fastening-inserting design, means by which fasten-' ings are supplied with their points in one direction, a terminal device for the supplying means having a movable portion provided with a set of fastening-holding depressions with which the fastening-holding passages of the loading device register in receiving position, and means for moving the terminal portion to invert the fastenings for delivery to the loading device.

2. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising means by which fastenings are supplied with their points in one direction, a terminal device for the supplying means having a set of discharge-openings and a movable portion provided with a set of depressions arranged for registration with the discharge-openings and which receive the supplied fastenings, means for moving said portion to invert the received fastenings, and a loader-block having a set of fastening-holding passages, said block being movable between a position in which its passages register with the discharge-openings of the terminal device and a fastening-delivering position.

3. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising fastening-supplying tubes, a foot-plate in which said tubes terminate and including means for inverting the supplied fastenings, and a movable loader-block receiving the inverted fastenings I from the foot-plate.

4. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a reciprocatory loader-block, a foot-plate situated immediately above the plane of reciprocation of theloader-block and including a rotatable cylindex provided with fastening-pockets delivering to the loader-block, means for rotating the cylinder, and tubes through which the fastenings are supplied to the foot-plate-pockets.

5. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a casing having sets of upper and lower openings, a cylinder rotatable within the casing and provided with pockets which may register with either set of openings, tubes for supplying fastenings through the upper set of openings, and a movable loader-block receiving fastenings through the lower set of openings.

6. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a casing having sets of upper and lower openings, a cylinder rotatable within the casing and provided withv pockets which may register with either set of openings, the openings including a pair arranged side byside transversely of the cylinder and staggered longitudinally of the axis, tubes for supplying fastenings through the upper set of openings, and a movable loaderblock receiving fastenings through the lower set of openings.

'7. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising fastenin -supplying and fastening-transferring means, a movable inverting member arranged to receive fastenings from the supplying means and to deliver them to the transferring means, and a latch for temporarily retaining the inverting member in both the receiving and delivering positions. 7

8, Fastening-loading mechanism comprising fastening-supplying and fastening-transferring means, a movable inverting member arranged to receive iastenings from the supplying means and to deliver them to the transferring means, a latch for temporarily retaining the inverting member in both the receiving and delivering positions, and means for successively disengaging the latch after the inverting member has received its load of fastenings, moving said member to its delivering position and releasing the latch to secure the member in its delivering position.

9, Fastening-loading mechanism comprising fastening-supplying and fastening-transferring means, a movable inverting member arranged to receive fastenings from the supplying means and to deliver them to the transferring means, a latch for temporarily retaining the inverting member in both the receiving and delivering positions, means for successively disengaging the latch after the inverting member has received its load of fastenings, moving said member to its delivering position and releasing the latch to secure the member in its delivering position, and means for efiecting opposite movements of the latch and inverting member to restore and secure said member in its initial position.

10. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising fastening-supplying and fastening-transferring means, a rotatable inverting member arranged to receive fastenings from the supplying means and to deliver them to the transferring means, a member movable by the operator to turn the inverting member from its receiving to its delivering position, and a member movable by the transferring means for restoring the inverting member to its receiving position.

11. In a heel-attaching machine, mechanism supplying power for the attachment of the heels, nail-supplying means and nail-transferring means, a rotatable nail-inverting member interposed between the supplying and transferring means, and a member movable by the operator to render the power-supplying mechanism efiective and to turn the inverting member.

12. In a heel-attaching machine, nail-supply ing means and nail-transferring means, a rotatable nail-inverting member interposed between the supplying and transferring means, a latch by which the inverting member may be retained temporarily in its nail-receiving and nail-delivering positions, and a member movable by the operator to start the operation of the machine, to control the latch and to turn the inverting member.

13. In a heel-attaching machine, nail-supplying means and nail-transferring means, a rotatable nail-inverting member interposed between the supplying and transferring means, a member movable by the operator to start the operation of the machine and to turn the inverting member, and a member movable by the transferring means to reverse the movement of the inverting member.

14. In a heel-attaching machine, nail-supplying means and nail-transferring means, a rotatable nail-inverting member interposed between the supplying and transferring means, a latch by which the inverting member may be retained temporarily in its nail-receiving and nail-delivering positions, a member movable by the operator to start the operation of the machine, to control the latch and to turn the inverting member, and a member movable by the transferring means to reverse the movement of the inverting member and to control the re-engagement of the latch.

15. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a casing having sets of upper and lower openings, a cylinder rotatable within the casing and provided with pockets which may register with either set of openings, a latch for temporarily retaining the cylinder with its pockets in registration with one or the other set of casing-openings, a lever through which the cylinder is rotated, a second lever acting upon the latch, and engaging the other lever to move it, means for oscillating the second lever, means for supplying fastenings through the upper set of casing-openings, and movable transferring means receiving fastenings through the lower set of casing-openings.

l6. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a casing having sets of upper and lower openings, a cylinder rotatable within the casing and provided with pockets which may register with either set of openings, a shaft connected to the cylinder and provided with two depressions, a latch which by engagement with the depressions may temporarily retain the cylinder with its pockets in registration with one or the other set of casingopenings, a pinion fixed to the shaft, a lever having spaced contact-surfaces and a segment meshing with the pinion, a second lever having a cam acting upon the latch and a portion movable in engagement with the contact-surfaces of the other lever, means for oscillating the second lever to control the latch and rotate the cylinder, tubes for supplying fastenings through the upper set of casing-openings, and a movable loader-block receiving fastenings through the lower set of casing-openings.

1'7. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a casing having sets of upper and lower openings, a cylinder rotatable within the casing and provided with pockets which may register with either set of openings, a latch for temporarily retaining the cylinder with its pockets in registration with one or the other set of casing-openings, a lever through which the cylinder is rotated, a second lever acting upon the latch and engaging the other lever to move it, means actuated by the operator to move the second lever in one direction, means for supplying fastenings through the upper set of casing-openings, and movable transferring means receiving fastenings through the lower set of casing-openings, said fasteningtransferring means acting upon the second lever to move it oppositely to the operator-actuated means.

18. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a casing having sets of upper and lower openings, a cylinder rotatable within the casing and provided with pockets which may register with either set of openings, a shaft connected to the cylinder and provided with two depressions, a latch which by engagement with the depressions may temporarily retain the cylinder with its pockets in registration with one or the other set of casingopenings, a pinion fixed to the shaft, a lever having spaced contact-surfaces and a segment meshing with the pinion, a. second lever having a cam acting upon the latch and a portion movable in engagement with the contact-surfaces of the other lever, a shaft by which the second lever is fulcrumed, a pinion fast upon the shaft, a rack meshing with said pinion, means for moving the second lever to control the latch and rotate the cylinder, tubes for supplying fastenings through the upper set of casing-openings, a movable loader-block receiving fastenings through the lower set of casing-openings, and a slide by which the loader-block is carried and being provided with a depression to receive a portion of the rack.

19. Fastening-loading mechanism comprising a casing having sets of upper and lower openings, a cylinder rotatable within the casing and provided with pockets which may register with either set of openings, a shaft connected to the cylinder and provided with two depressions, a latch which by engagement with the depressions may temporarily retain the cylinder with its pockets in registration with one or the other set of casingopenings, a pinion fixed to the shaft, a lever having spaced contact-surfaces and a segment meshing with the pinion, a second lever having a cam acting upon the latch and a portion movable in engagement with the contact-surfaces of the other lever, a shaft by which the second lever is fulcrumed, a pinion fast upon the shaft, a rack meshing with said pinion, means for moving the second lever to control the latch and rotate the cylinder, tubes for supplying fastenings through the upper set of casing-openings, a movable loader-block receiving fastenings through the lower set of casing-openings, and a slide by which the loader-block is carried and being-provided with a cam-surface for actuating the rack.

20. The combination with a frame, of a loaderblock movable thereon, fastening-supplying tubes,

2. foot-plate having a casing in which the tubes terminate and a cylinder rotatable in the casing to receive fastenings from the tubes and de liver them to the loader-block, and a shaft through which the cylinder is rotated, the frame and casing and the cylinder and shaft having, respectively, interengaging portions permitting separation upon movement together in one direction .of the casing and cylinder from the frame and shaft.

21. The combination with a frame, of a loaderblock movable thereon, fastening-supplying tubes, a foot-plate having a casing in which the tubes terminate and a cylinder rotatable in the casing to receive fastenings fromthe tubes and deliver them to the loader-block, and a shaft through which the cylinder is rotated, the frame and casing and the cylinder and shaft having, respectively, interengaging portions permitting separation upon movement together in one di-.

rection of the casing and cylinder from the frame and shaft, the cylinder and shaft-portions being formed for engagement only when said cylinder is in its fastening-receiving relation.

22. The combination with a frame, of a loader block movable thereon, fastening-supplying tubes, a foot-plate having a casing in which the tubes terminate and a cylinder rotatable in the casing to receive fastenings from the tubes and deliver them to the loader-block, and a shaft through which the cylinder is rotated, the casing having a projection received in ways upon the frame and the cylinder and shaft being pro vided with an interengaging transverse rib and slot,

23. The combination with a frame, of ,a loaderblock movable thereon, fastening-supplying tubes, a foot-plate having a casing in which the tubes terminate and a cylinder'rotatable in the casing to receive fastenings from the tubes and deliver them to the loader-block, and a shaft through which the cylinder is rotated, the casing having a projection received in ways upon the frame and the cylinder and shaft being provided with an interengaging transverse rib and slot, said rib and slot tapering in the direction of their length.

24. The combination with a frame, of a loaderblock movable thereon, fastening-supplying tubes, and a foot-plate having a casing in which the tubes terminate and .a cylinder rotatable in the casing to receive fastenings from the tubes and deliver them to the loader-block, the casing and cylinder being of transparent material.

JOHN T. LANCASTER. 

